Steam and air pipe coupling for cars.



R. B. PAINTON.

STEAM AND AIR PIPE COUPLING FOR CARS. APPLICATION FILED mm: 11, 1909.

961,638., Patented June 14, 1910.

RICHARD BENJAMIN PAINTON, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

STEAM AND AIR PIPE COUPLING FOB CARS;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1%, 1910.

Application filed. June 11, 1909. Serial No. 501,526.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD B. PAINTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at IVilliamsport, in the county of Lycoming and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steamand Air Pipe Couplings for Cars, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to pipe couplings of the type designed for theconnection of steam and air pipes of railway cars, and has specialreference to a simple and practical coupling of this character designedto obviate the objections to the ordinary types of brake and steam hosecouplings, while at the same time, establishing a more direct line ofcommunication between the pipes on the separate cars than is possible bythe use of the lVestinghouse and similar gasketed types of brake andsteam hose couplings.

To this end, the invention contemplates a steam and air pipe couplingembodying a minimum number of parts, entirely dispensing with the use ofthe gasket feature which is necessarily part of the ordinary brake andsteam pipe hose coupling, and which may be interchangeably employedtherewith, said coupling being such that it may be readily substitutedfor the ordinary type of coupling and said ordinary type of coupling maybe readily substituted for the present invention in order that properconnections may be made where two cars come together having respectivelydifferent coupling sections thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide a coupling wherein theparts may be placed in coupled and uncoupled relation with the greatestfacility.

Vith these and other objects in view, which will more readily appear asthe nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists inthe novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, which willbe hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

The essential features of the invention involved in carrying out theabove objects, are necessarily susceptible to structural change, withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention, but a preferredembodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the coupling, showing the partsconnected and indicating in dotted lines how an ordinary VVestinghousecoupling section may be substituted for one of the present sections.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View therethrough on an enlargedscale. Fig. 8 is a similar view, but illustrating the parts separated.Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the coupling tube.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment disclosed, pipe'terminal members 5 are employed, whichare in all respects duplicates, and are mounted upon hose sections 6preferably of the armored type, which sections are connected with theusual pipe system of the car, as will be understood. The terminalmembers 5 have their free ends enlarged and preferably reinforced, asshown at 7, and said ends have inwardly tapered sockets 8 terminating attheir inner ends in straight bores, the tapering portions forming jointseats for the coupling tube. These terminal members are also providedwith opposite outstanding ears or lugs 9 having openings 10therethrough.

For the purpose of connecting the two terminal members of adjacentcoupled cars, a coupling tube 11 is employed having conical or taperedportions 12 at both sides of its center for wedging engagement with thetapered joint seats or mouths of the sockets, said tube also beingformed with straight necked terminal extension portions 13 projectingbeyond the planes of the conical portions and arranged to extend intothe straight bored portions of the terminal members for guiding and airsealing purposes. The coupling tube furthermore has central oppositelyextending ears or lugs 14:, to which are pivoted the clevises 15 at oneend of the holding or fastening links 15, said links being arranged toswing longitudinally of the tube in both directions and having openings16 theretlirough that are arranged to engage over the ears of eitherterminal member 5. These links preferably have finger extensions 17, bywhich they may be readily operated, and furthermore when they areengaged with the ears, they can be effectively fastened thereto by pins18 that are passed through the openings 10.

In using the device, when two cars carrying the terminal members arecoupled, said members receive the ends of the coupling tube, which fitssnugly into the sockets, forming air and liquid tight joints. One of thelinks 15 is engaged and fastened over one of the ears of one of theterminal members, and the other is in like manner engaged and fastenedover the other member, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The parts arethus effectively held together, and a direct effective coupling is thussecured, without the necessity of gaskets or other objectionablepacking. hen it is desired to uncouple a car,

one of the links is disengaged from its member, and is swung over andengaged with the ear of the other member, whereupon upon the separationof the car, it will be obvious that the coupling tube will disengageitself from the freed member, but will be effectively fastened to theother, as shown in Fig. 3. I

A highly effective and exceedingly simple coupling is thus produced, andit will be obvious that the same can be cheaply manufactured, andreadily substituted for the couplings now ordinarily used. Furthermoreby reference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that this form of coupling canbe readily interchanged with the ordinary lVestinghouse or likecoupling, as one section or the other can be readily detached andreplaced by a section, which will cooperate with the abutting section.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation andmany advan tages 0f the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minordetails of construct-ion, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In connection with the above described structure, it may be stated thatthe pivot pins, by means of which the links 15 are connected to theprojections 14, are made of sufficiently weak material that will permitthem to break in case of undue strain upon the coupling, should the carsseparate from any reason, without the coupling elements beingdisconnected. It will be obvious that this will avoid more seriousinjury to other parts.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A steam and air pipe coupling, comprising pipe terminal membershaving mouths, and each having oppositely disposed retaining elements, acoupling tube having ends that detachably engage in the mouths, a pairof swinging holding links pivoted to the central portion of the tube ondiametrically opposite sides of the same and on axes that are fixed withrelation to the tube, each link being capable of swinging in oppositedirections and into detachable interlocking relation with one of theretaining elements of each terminal member, and means for retaining theholding links in said interlocking relation with the different retainingelements.

2. A steam and air pipe coupling, comprising pipe terminal membershaving flared mouths, a coupling tube having tapered end portions thatdetacha-bly fit into the mouths, said terminal members each havingoppositely extending lugs, holding links, each pivotally mounted at oneend on a fixed axis on the central portion of the coupling tube andcapable of swinging in opposite directions, the other ends of said linkshaving sockets which are engaged by the lugs of either terminal member,and means for securing the lugs in said sockets.

3. In a steam and air pipe coupling, the combination with flexible hosemembers, of oppositely arranged socket members secured to said hosemembers and each of which socket members has a flaring receiving mouthprovided therein with a tapered joint seat, a removable coupling tubehaving conical or tapering portions at both sides of its center forwedging engagementwith the mouth of the socket members, said tube alsobeing formed with straight necked eX- tensions arranged to extend intothe straight portions of the socket members for guiding and air sealingpurposes, and holding elements having a connection with said coupling,tube and adapted to beconnected with either or both of said socketmembers.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

RICHARD BENJAMIN PAINTON.

Witnesses:

R. C. BRADDOOK, M. H. YATES.

